Tuesday, September 12, 2006

More Travels!

Ok, I know I haven't posted about DC yet, but unfortunately, I forgot to take my camera with me, and so I have no pictures to share. The trip was a lot of fun, and once I convince all my friends to give me their pictures, I promise I will do a follow up post. I got to see some really awesome things.
But I've been off again since my trip to DC. This last weekend, my ward went camping in Sharon, Vermont, the birthplace of Joseph Smith. The Church owns a campground next to the monument and visitors center and so we got to spend some time in the beautiful outdoors. **Warning: Lots of photos ahead!**

Vermont was gorgeous! I really think New England is one of the prettiest places in the world (I know I can't really say that, since I've seen only a small part of the world). But anyway, here are some of the beautiful things I got to see and do this weekend. And despite, the rain and the cold, it was a really great weekend!

We went up Friday and on Sat. we explored the area. Sunday was sacrament meting in he mroning then packing up and heading back. So a short trip, but we squeezed a lot in.
We went to the Quechee Gorge in the morning with a huge group of people, it was really beautiful and people had fun climbing on the rocks and getting in the river.

Here is part of the huge group of people who went down to the gorge early Sat. morning. Lots of people got their feet wet.

Marie and Julie, decided to take a little dip in the river at the gorge. Crazy Cold!


There were a lot of insects on this trip, here are three I was able to snap. The other was a daddy-long-legs spider, which was crawling up my leg. Eeek!
A Monarch butterfuly, it took off right as I tried to snap this picture:

A crazy catipillar, also at the gorge:


After lunch, we headed into town and checked out an awesome antique store.
We saw some Moose (or is it Meese?) and had to stop for a picture of the group:
Me, Brian, Bryce and Diana


After the antique store, we drove to find some covered bridges. I don' know how old these ones were, but they were really pretty and had a great view!


This is one of the awesome wooden beams inside the covered bridge.


A beautiful VT view from the covered bridge:


Diana holding the spiky catapillar found at the bridge:


Later that night we had a little varaiety show and then they had a later showing of the Joseph Smith movie that my friends and I went to see. Then of course, it's not camping without bonfires and S'mores!

Sunday, after church, Richard and I dedided to go see the Monument, since we didn't the day before. I saw the Joseph Smith movie in the VC next to here, but it was dark and I couldn't see the monument.





All together it was a really great trip. I made some great new friends and I'm so glad I got to see this beautiful part of the country.

Friday, September 1, 2006

MCW


This post is for my "little" brother Michael, who is leaving next week to serve a mission for our Church in Nashville, TN! I'm so sad I don't get to see him before he goes, but I've been thinking about him a lot, so I thought I'd share my thoughts and some pictures in honor of the occasion.
(*Besides I have lots of photos of him because Mikie *loves* the camera - he's a cutie isn' he?)
We have had so many fun times together in Utah and Alaska and it's amazing to see the kind of person he's become. Mikie was only 10 or 11 when I left for college, which is crazy to think about! In the last 8 years, he's grown into an amazing young man.
There were times when we didn't get along (our personalities are very similar and let's just say, Mikie knew how to push my buttons), but in the last 4 years, as we've both matured, he's become one of my best friends. He's always laughing, ready to have a good time, and he's such a good sport about everything. Mikie's deffinately the goofy one in the family (I think he gets it from my Dad...) as you can see from some of these pictures. And guess what? He's become one of my shopping buddies! He's almost got more style than me, if you can believe that! (I know it's hard...)
Michael is going to be a great missionary and I'm so excited for him. The people in TN are going to love him and I can't wait to hear about all the lives he will touch. He's got an awesome testimony and I know he's excited to share it with others.
I'm going to miss him, but I'm so excited for all the amazing experiences he's going to have. Missions are life changing and I know he's going to come back even more awesome than before! Mikie I love you and will write you lots! Have fun, be safe and Return With Honor!